Hey, K'thardin!
*looks up from treating Baal's minions like little bitches*
They are, aren't they? They really are. ^_^
Heh. I remember when I used to have time to play Diablo II. I had a
necromancer named Rajura. Bone Spear rocked. ^_~
What have we here? A new Ronin Summer Chapter? ^_^ NICE!
Well, I figured I should get it out before I moved. May be a while before
the next one... :(
> Hello once again! ^_^
Heya! Didn't know if you were alive or what, haven't seen you around
last couple of
months. How goes it?
Oh, a little of this, a little of that. Got out of university, been packing
everything I own into small boxes, visiting family I won't be seeing
again... The usual 'moving away' stuff. What's with you?
> Well, I know I said I was going to get this done a day or two ago, but
there
> was a small problem concerning my life that wound up taking a bit more
time
> away from DC than I had thought it would. As always, C&C would be
greatly
That's ok. I guess we'll forgive you if you'll write more. ^__-
HOORAY! I'M FORGIVEN!
Uh... You didn't mean I had to write more "soon", did you? ^_^;
> appreciated, and even responded to! My muse lives on the stuff, as most
of
> my long-time readers probably know by now. ^_~
Shit, at least you get C&C (not so blatent hint for the FFML ^_-). For
my latest
literary creation I couldn't get C&C even when I treatened not to give
out anymore.
What, you mean Eternal Heavens? I don't know why nobody would send C&C on
that one - it's an awesome fic. I thought that the bar scene in your latest
chapter was very well done.
Either they don't care, or they know how utterly addicted to ficcage I
am, in which
case they knew my threat to be hollow.
Maybe they just couldn't find any errors worth mentioning?
I can't decide which is worse. ^^;;
Oh, the latter. You can MAKE people care, but once they realise you're
harmless, it's all over.
> Of course, Latin D would likely smack me in the head if I forgot to
mention
> that previous chapters of my fic can be found on my webpage,
> http://dataraven_659.tripod.com/roninsummer.html
Can we smack you around anyway? ^_-
No. :p
> And if I didn't mention Joy Lyn's amazing webpage, Crossover Corner,
found
> at
> http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Shores/5533/index.html
> I'd probably feel really guilty about it later. ^_^
You'd probably make the poor girl cry which would be far worse than
anything your
guilty conscience could conceive of. Heheheheheheh.
Max: Aww... I can't stand to see a grown puppet cry. MAKE HIM STOP.
<snipage>
Snips are like wine - they get better with "age". ^_^
> OBLIGATORY LEGAL DISCLAIMER : Some of these guys aren't mine. The
> Sailor Senshi belong to DIC and Kodansha, while the Yoroiden are owned
> by Sunrise and Graz Entertainment. Okay? So don't bother suing me. I'm
> a student.
And I'm out of the Navy, employed, and making like 2 or 3 times what I
did there, and
I'm *still* broke after buying anime stuff. Heheheheheh.
This is why I doubt we would ever get sued. I mean, if they took our money,
we couldn't use it to buy their stuff! ^_^
> Chapter Fifteen : Turning Point
Actually this fic reminded me more of something on the order of "Boiling
Point" or
"Melting Point" or damn near "Combustion Point." Heh.
Heh. Damn near, but I'm saving that for when Hotaru catches Jun with one of
the Storm Senshi. ^_^
> There were no windows for the furious gale to rattle, and indeed, the
> entire front hall had fallen eerily silent. The only sound was the
> faint and distant growling of the storm, as the torches flickered
> quietly in their rusted iron brackets. Dust muted the dark obsidian of
> the bare stone floor, and the suits of samurai armour that stood
> silent guard along the walls wore thick veils of cobwebs. Doors of
Hopefully not inhabbited with the souls of those that have come before or
some such,
or you'll be playing the expansion pack a bit early. ^_^
Actually, the local store started selling LOD a whole day ahead of time.
Really ticked me and my friend off, too: we'd been planning to be there on
the day of the release date, and then they go and start selling them early.
Wouldn't even reserve us a copy, either. Jerks.
> gloom that choked the air. All told, it was one of the least friendly
> places that young Hotaru had seen in a long time - although it did
> vaguely remind her of a strange cross between her old home and one of
> those haunted houses from the late night movies that she wasn't
> supposed to watch. She hoped there weren't any bats; she didn't really
Wasn't supposed to watch. That rather implied she watched them quite
often, did it
not? ^_^
Well, of course. Senshi of Silence or not, the fastest way to get a kid to
do something is to tell them they're not supposed to. Still, at least Hotaru
will grow out of it - she's a girl.
For some reason, guys never do...
> feel up to bats at the moment.
<Hotaru> How many fingers am I holding up? <Naaza> four! <Hotaru> Yes!
Now...what
is your name? <Naaza> I'm Batman!
Naaza: Just kidding, just kidding. Of course I'm not Batman.
Hotaru: Well, that's a relief! For a second, I was worried the hit to your
head might have made you-
Naaza: I am Duncan MacLeod, of the clan MacLeod!
> His long silver
> hair swirling about his head in the gale, Jirougorou Kuroda slipped
> through the small opening and leaned his shoulder against the heavy
> oaken panelling, teeth grit as his feet slipped and skidded on the
> slick obsidian floor. The door cracked open a bit further, with a loud
> and painful shriek, and the wind roared lustily as it tugged and tore
> at the tall, slender man with the long silver hair. Hotaru leapt to
> her feet and raced over, placing her hands against the oak door and
> helping the Spider Masho push.
That didn't sound right. She's pulling he's pushing, unless she squeezed
through the
crack and began helping him that way, or am I missing the imagery here?
No, they're both pushing. The doors open outward (a convenient thing, in a
castle). I think the part you missed was: "His long silver
hair swirling about his head in the gale, Jirougorou Kuroda SLIPPED THROUGH
THE SMALL OPENING and leaned his shoulder against the heavy
oaken panelling..."
> Nasuti Yagyu, coated in black mud and looking rather like a
> drowned mouse, struggled through the wider opening, straining and
Better than a drowned rat. Either way, it's a snake's favorite food. ^_-
Hehehe... Noticed that, did you? ^_~
> groaning as she dragged the equally drenched and muddy form of
> Naotoki Yamanouchi by the spiked shoulderplates of his emerald green
> armour. The Snake Masho's eyes were rolled back, and his head lolled
> from side to side as his body slid listlessly through the thick black
> slime outside. With a final tug, the auburn-haired woman managed to
> pull the green-haired man into the Keep. Jirougorou and Hotaru
> immediately reversed direction, grasping the door's edge in their hands
> and pulling it shut with a resounding thud.
Ah, it swings outward.
Most castle gates do. It helps during seiges - the enemy has to break
formation and lose momentum to pull, and your own troops can't get trapped
behind them when they open.
Still, what I was referring to in the above still applys if
only in opposite directions...unless, like I said, I missed something in
the imagery.
Only a little bit - Rajura pulled the door open just enough for him to
squeeze through the crack, then pushed it the rest of the way with Hotaru's
help.
> Hotaru sagged to the floor, gasping for air, and Jirougorou
> carefully readjusted the black patch he wore over his left eye before
> idly tossing aside the battered bamboo umbrella he had tucked under
> his arm. "As you no doubt noticed," he said breathlessly, "we have
> guests."
<Hotaru> Yes unca Rajura, I'll get some tea made. <Rajura> >_<
Hehehehe... ^_^
> "Oh!" Hotaru clapped a hand over her mouth as she looked over
> at Jirougorou Kuroda. "Is he going to be okay?"
OK, that's up there with some of the questions and observations that were
made by Fuu
in MKR. And though she was the smart one I did often want to reply
something like
what you have below.
Yeah, Rajura's kind of cool that way. There's absolutely nothing that Rajura
would be too nice to say to someone. If they're being stupid, he calls them
on it. ^_^
> "No," the Spider Masho replied, "I'M going to be okay. He, on
> the other hand, is going to die. If you look very closely at us, you
> might be able to tell the difference. Here's a hint - MY blood is on
> the INSIDE."
Often times one definately wants to smack some of them for pointing out
the obvious
far too often. This part was quite satisfiying in its own way, if quite
cold. ^_^
Much like Rajura himself, really. ^_^
> "Your sense of humour never ceases to disgust me, Rajura,"
> Nasuti growled angrily at the silver-haired Masho as she struggled to
> her feet. "Can't you find even a bit of sympathy for one of your own
> team-mates?"
<Rajura> team-mates? What do you think this is? Pro Wrestling? <Naaza>
Let's get
ready to ruuummbbllle!!!
Rajura: Naaza, you be Marty Janetty, and I'll be Shawn Micheals...
<Rumble> Yeah! You're going to tumble with the Rumble?
Soundwave superior, Constructicons inferior...
<Super Fly> You crazy man? You trying to piss of the Superfly?
Sorry, had to get that out of my system. ^_^
That's okay. ^_^
> "Why bother?" Jirougorou asked rhetorically. "He's doomed.
> Fortunately, he's also unimportant."
How the hell did any of them survive as long as they have with that
attitude?
Well, knowing damn well that nobody's going to help you can make a guy
pretty good at taking care of himself... ^_~
> Hotaru leaned over the unconscious Snake Masho, a faint purple
> light glowing in her eyes as she placed her hands on either side of
> his head. "He's badly injured," she said to herself as she slowly moved
Shouldn't her hands be glowing too?
They are. I just didn't mention it because I couldn't think of another word
for "glowing". ^_^
> her hands over his armoured chest. "Fractured skull, broken ribs,
> ruptured spleen, internal bleeding, cracked vertebrae... and his hand
> is so badly broken that the bones are practically powder." Raising one
Who needs a tricorder? ^_^
Hotaru: Damn it, Rajura! I'm a Senshi, not a doctor!
> eyebrow curiously, the small girl turned and looked at Rajura as he
> stood nonchalantly in the corner. "What happened to him?"
>
> "He bit off more than he could chew and nearly choked on it,"
> the Spider Masho explained, "as usual. He's something of an imbecile."
Good things snakes can dislocate their jaw to swallow those big ass
things. ^_^
That's why Naaza is able to do this kind of thing so often. ^_~
You see, this here is where the girl needs to prioritise. It seems to
me, if she
could discern that much damage in his body, it would be quite possible
for her to
manipulate her healing powers to focus in only on certain parts.
Maybe, but just because you can see a pin on the ground doesn't mean you can
hit it on the head with a sledgehammer. Hotaru's healing power has never had
to deal with a great deal of injuries at once before - there's a good chance
Naaza could die from something while she was busy healing something else.
Like say, the
spleen (you rupture that, you die slow), get the guy's body working, then
go back and
repair the rest later when you can. Sure the guy is likely going to HURT
for awhile,
but he'll live and recover.
Oh, Naaza's going to be hurting for a while yet. Not that he usually lets
that slow him down any... ^_^
And in this case, just get his body back in some working
shape, and he'll take care of the rest. If he's still in his armor, he
just got a
serious power increase from the rain.
He is, and basically that's what she's doing. Using her powers, Hotaru is
trying to "jump-start" Naaza's own. In other terms, she's
overclocking his natural healing factor.
Course that's more information than she has, but you get the idea I hope.
^_^
Yep, I get it! It's what she should have done, too, but she didn't think of
it. Rajura might have, but he wouldn't bother saying anything if he did.
> "There's a room downstairs," Rajura said off-handedly. "The
> tenth door on your left. It's quiet and secure. Feel free to do
> whatever you want - the manner in which you choose to waste your time
> is none of my affair." Straightening his black shirt with a sharp tug,
At least he didnt' stop them. Heh.
Well all he said was that he didn't CARE if Naaza died. That doesn't
necessarily mean he wants it to happen. ^_~
> the one-eyed Masho of Deception marched up the staircase, fading from
> view as he disappeared into the shadowy gloom.
>
> *********
>
> Water dripped quietly from the overhanging branches of the
> massive pine tree, falling to the ground and tapping softly against
> the thick, soft bed of pine needles that littered the ground. A
> particularly fat droplet sluggishly pulled its way free and plummeted
> downwards, splashing right on the bridge of Vyne's nose. Snorting
> slightly, the youth shifted his shoulders and smacked his lips a few
> times before he continued snoring. His gigantic and impressive wings
> were wrapped about him like a feathered cocoon as he slumbered
> peacefully, oblivious to the world around him.
Cute. In it's own way I suppose.
It gets cuter. You've been warned. ^_^
> A hand slowly crept up from under the feathered cover, rubbing
> against the side of Vyne's face. The winged man shifted position
> slightly and twitched his nose as the hand slid over his lips. Blinking
> wearily, he opened his emerald eyes and stared at the branches above
> his head in an unfocused fashion. He wondered why the tree wasn't
> under him before realising that he was, in fact, on the ground. And
> thus already having a bad day. Scratching his head and fighting the
> urge to yawn, he began to sit up.
Wish I could sleep like that in that kind of weather and not catch cold.
Part of it may be the fact that he's a god. It may also be that he had no
choice - I imagine when Holts says it's nap time, it's NAP TIME.
> Halfway there, the hand resting on his face suddenly began
> pushing him back the other way with surprising force. Vyne flopped
> onto the ground and let out a muffled curse as he banged his head on
> a tree root. Something squirmed against him in a delightfully
Then again, I guess there are other problems with sleeping outside. ^_^
And Vyne is quickly experiencing all of them. Except for skunks. ^_~
> distracting manner and started breathing down his neck. Raising an
> eyebrow, Vyne looked down and slowly unfolded his wings.
<Vyne> *shudder* eeewwwwweeee...never drinking that much again...never
again *looks
at his bed mate and shudders again* ^_^
Hehehehehehe. ^_^
> Lying curled on top of him, his sister Holts shivered slightly
> and reached up, grabbing his right wing and tucking it back down around
> her shoulders. The petite redhead had all four eyes closed and was
Excuse me while I go and hook myself up to an insulin machine. ^_-
Okay, we'll wait.
...
Doo-doo-doo-de-doo...
Done yet?
Good. Let's move on. ^_^
> mumbling something incoherent as she shifted her position slightly and
> began to nuzzle the side of his neck. Vyne scowled. He wasn't too sure
> Sun Tzu had ever covered this particular situation in The Art of War.
> Then again, Sun Tzu probably hadn't suffered from a narcoholic little
> sister, either. Hesitantly, he tried prodding the girl, who merely
> squirmed again and drowsily smacked him in the face.
Yeah, I can just hear Sun Tzu's advice on this subject: "When confronted
with being
the pillow of your sister, Pray to Buddah." ^_^
Vyne: I don't want to get rid of it, I want to relocate it...
> "Ow!" Rubbing his sore jaw with one hand, he prodded her
> again. "Come on," he pleaded, "wake up!"
>
> "No," Holts mumbled, and wrapped her arms around his torso.
> "M'comfy. Go 'way."
<Vyne> Go away? *looks at his sister using him for a matress* Right.
> "But it's morning!"
>
> "Don't care."
I've had that arguement before. But then my dad usually tossed my dog on
my bed.
Funny thing...you can't really sleep when some big hulking German Shepard
is trying
to bite your ear. ^^
Holts: Yes, you can. You can sleep through anything, if you try hard enough.
Vyne: Why, look! It's Sister Tuls!
Holts: I'M AWAKE! I'M AWAKE!
> "That deal had NOTHING to do with you using me like a damned
> mattress!" Vyne fumed, still struggling to pry his little sister off
> of him.
Loony toons ain't got nothing on these guys. ^_^
Oh, I don't know about that... I have several readers who are sure that
these guys are ALL "loony toons"... ^_~
> "It did the second the ground got all cold and lumpy!" Holts
> shot back, easily evading Vyne's strikes while maintaining her grip
> on him. "Besides, you were already asleep! I didn't think you'd mind!"
Shit, he seemed to enjoy it for a while as well. ^^
Vyne: Well come ON, I mean, you've SEEN her! I didn't say I wasn't LIKING
it, I said it was time to STOP! There's a big difference, there...
> Holts pouted. "But I'm sleepy," she said sulkily. It wasn't
> exactly an admission of surrender, Vyne knew - the trembling of her
> lower lip made it obvious that she was preparing to leap back into full
> howl at any second. It was, however, a sign that she was open to
> negotiation.
They should REALLY see if this girl is eating right or something.
I think she might need more iron.
> "Listen," he said with a deep and heartfelt sigh, "I'm just
> asking you to stay with me for a few more minutes, and then we'll go
> straight home, like I promised. I mean, look at my wings!" He lifted
> one of the two extremities to demonstrate. "They're soaked, Sister.
> That means I'm stuck on the ground, and we aren't going anywhere
> until they dry. So why don't we just reconnoitre while we're waiting?"
Shit, so much for being a god. ^_^
Well, these are more like your OLD-SCHOOL gods. It doesn't mean their bodies
don't have weaknesses. Cupid got burned by hot wax when his lover tried to
see his face. Aries was once trapped in a jar by a wizard. Hercules was able
to trick Atlas into putting the sky back on his shoulders.
Vyne can't fly if his feathers are wet. It's pretty much his only
weakness, unless you count his ambition.
> "Why don't we just nap until the rain stops, instead?"
>
> "Because," Vyne explained, "we're trying to follow those two
> people I dumped off a cliff yesterday, and if we wait too long, we'll
> lose all hope of finding them."
>
> "And...?" Holts asked pleadingly.
>
> "And," Vyne continued, "because if we lose them, Pedri will be
> very angry. And he's ALWAYS kind of angry, so that would not be a good
> thing." Not, he added silently, at least, until he had more people to
> support him in his defiance of the overbearing, self-indulging tyrant.
> Then it might be kind of fun to watch his brother Pedri blow his top...
> before blowing it for him.
Course if half of what you've hinted about Pedri is true there are only
two forces
around that might have a chance at taking him out in a one on one fight.
Really? Two? I count three...
Heh, so
that's kind of suiicidal for even all of them to try...or does he realize
this or not
care?
Ah, but Vyne considers himself superior to Pedri. That's the whole reason he
thinks he should be in charge. Plus, he's planning to get as many of his
other siblings on his side as possible. Pedri can't be stronger than all of
them combined, right?
> "And...?" Holts repeated, smiling lazily as she stretched her
> arms wide and smothered a yawn on the back of her hand.
>
> Vyne scowled. "You're not going to be happy until I agree to
> do it, are you?"
>
> The petite redhead shook her head furiously again. "Nope."
>
> Heaving another deep sigh, the winged man set his little sister
> down on the ground and rubbed his brow with his fingertips. "Fine," he
> grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. Why not? I'll do it."
Guy pops Motrin like candy, doesn't he? Think I might have asked that
before.
And I might have answered it before: YES.
> "Really?" Holts opened one eye suspiciously. This was way too
> easy. Ever since Sister Tuls had caught them doing it, Vyne had refused
> to even CONSIDER it again. There was no way she should have gotten his
> agreement without at least another hour of her 'brat' act. "And you'll
> do the voices, and everything?"
^_____________________^
Get your mind out of the gutter - it's getting dirty. ^_^
> "Yes," he groaned, "I may as well. I'm doing everything else by
> now, aren't I? At this rate, you'll have me filling in for that stupid
> stuffed yak of yours by the time we get home."
Stuffed yak, huh? ^_^ *shakes head* stuffed yak. ^_^ Wow...stuffed yak.
Heheheheheh.
Yeah. Life-size, too. ^_^
> "Mr. Wimbles is not stupid! Stop making fun of him!" Holts
> scowled sleepily and folded her arms across her chest as she turned her
> head away from him and lifted her chin defiantly. This, of course,
> almost made her able to look her much taller brother in the eye when
> he leaned over and looked down at her.
As the hentainess of this recedes to reveal the truth of the situation,
heheh, and I
note I didn't even need to SAY anything here as the wording was doing all
the work
for me, one has to wonder how what seems to be a relative innocent could
survive what
they've been doing for all these years.
She sleeps through most of it. ^_^
Seriously, Holts spends nearly all her time in the castle. She's the "Little
Messenger Girl", not one of the front-line troops. It's pretty easy to hang
onto your naivete when you never actually do any of the dirty work yourself.
> "Honestly, Holts," he said, as he stuck his tongue out at her,
> "you are SO immature at times."
>
> "I am not," she argued with a grin.
>
> "You are so," he retaliated with a grin of his own.
>
> "Am not!"
>
> "Are so!"
And these are the terrors that have annhilated half the universe? Damn,
where's
Thanos or Unicron when you need them?
Thanos: I forged the Infinity Gauntlet and defeated Earth's greatest heroes!
Galactus: I have devastated entire galaxies. Countless worlds have gone, to
satisfy my hunger.
Unicron: The world shall return to Chaos, and I am the being who is
destined to destroy it all.
Pedri: Oh, yeah? Well I've wiped out half of the universe... and I work with
IDIOTS.
All: ...
Pedri: That's right. Who's the man? I think we KNOW who the man is.
Then again, where are all the good guys...if
they're getting beat by these people we're screwed. ^_^
Hey, they may be a bit immature, but they are very, VERY powerful.
Trust me, you haven't seen a part of what they can do yet.
> **********
>
> Pedri's ebony cape flared behind him as he stormed along the
> slick glass corridor, steel-toed boots clicking angrily with each step.
And whatever you do, don't humm the Imperial March when he walks by. He
really hates
that. ^_^
Erdge: If you hate it so much, why make that orchestra follow you around,
playing it everywhere you go?
Pedri: To set the mood, Erdge. To set the mood.
> His body was as tense as the strings on a violin, with his fists
The devil went down to Georgia, he was looking for a soul to steal...^_-
Aye! ^_^
> clenched so tightly his leather gloves creaked under the strain. His
> face, however, was utterly composed, and it was this that somehow
> managed to chill his sister's blood as she jogged a few strides behind
> him.
>
> "Uh... Where exactly are we going, Brother Pedri?"
>
> "Where we need to be, Erdge," the raven-haired man replied
> curtly, without so much as turning his head in her direction.
>
> Erdge swallowed loudly and clasped one hand around her graceful
> neck. Why hadn't he called her his sister, like he always did? Was she
> in trouble?
Possibly. Considering that their 'mother' has talked to her as well as
him (if she
talks to him at all)
Oh, she's in trouble. She just doesn't quite realise what kind of trouble
she's in. ^_^
> "Not yet." The young man glanced over his shoulder and met her
> gaze, his azure eyes flashing briefly. "Would you like to be?" Stopping
That's a weird question. ^^
Especially considering she didn't ask it out loud, and he answered it
anyway... ^_~
> Pedri shrugged as he stepped through the portal he had created.
> "I felt like a shortcut, so I put a door here." He met his sister's
> gaze and blinked innocently. "What? We're in a rush, and you need a
> door. It's not like there's one here usually." He beckoned with one
> hand, and Erdge stepped through the hole to join him.
Heh, and so even more hints to what he can do are dropped.
Yeah, Pedri's a pretty special guy. He'd be downright cool, if it weren't
for the fact he's such a mama's boy. ^_~
> "A little familiar, isn't it?" Pedri said with a smirk as he
> tugged off his black leather gauntlets and let the heavy gloves fall
> to the floor. "The design is vaguely like that of the bone room - there
> are different patterns in the etchings, though, and of course the
> pedestal and cables are new to you." Running his fingers through his
See, this is quite fascinating. One wonders exactly what sort of beings
these really
are. That and who their father is, if they even had one. How they got
there to
begin with and so on and so forth.
All will be revealed, good sir; just give it time.
I'll let this one go for free, though - they don't have a father. The
closest they'd come to one is, well, Pedri himself. It's a classic story,
really; the big brother, trying hard to fill in for absent parents...
<killah snip>
> Suddenly, the dark haired youth arched his back, banging his
> head against the wall and clenching his teeth as he closed his eyes and
> grimaced in pain. "Now, this part?" he gasped. "This part HURTS!"
And again, if half of what you've hinted at is true, to actually hurt him
as bad as
this would take some serious freaking power.
Yes. As Pedri himself stated, Mother's radiance can be a dangerous thing.
Ever see Raiders of the Lost Ark? Remember when they opened it?
The question remains though, why he
would need to actually go through this kind of pain to bring his brother
back.
I find it interesting that he didn't even hesitate to do it, either. And
both Vyne and Thraw have mentioned that they died before, so he must have
brought them back, too.
Or did I just inadvertently answer the question of who their father was.
^^;;;;;;
Well, like I said, Pedri is probably the closest thing they have to a father
figure. He was the first, and he's the most powerful. But no, Mother is his
Mother, too, just like she is theirs.
<snip of some very cool and viceral birthing imagery>
> Pedri looked drained, his ageless features drawn and peaked.
> His hair was mussed and wet, soaked with the perspiration that still
> rolled down the sides of his jaw and dripped from the tip of his nose
> as he gasped for air. Erdge stepped forward - timidly at first, but
> with growing certainty. He was weak; she could take the initiative,
> get him before he got her...
Now would be the time you know. If ever there was a time to kill him,
this would be
it.
It certainly would, wouldn't it? ^_~
> But she didn't. Not even sure why, she found herself reaching
> for the fallen man, leaning his head on her shoulder as she peeled his
> hands loose from the smoking crystal balls that they still clung to
> stubbornly. The skin on his palms and fingers was gone, leaving only
> raw, bloody flesh that made her wince to look at.
Probably because he's still her brother, though a monster the likes of
which the
devil would be proud of.
Yeah, pretty much.
Of course, it probably helped that she wasn't sure she could pull it
off, either. ^_~
> He hissed in pain as they slid down his
> arms, rubbing harshly against his injured hands and replacing the raw
> flesh with seamless black leather. Closing his eyes, Pedri leaned his
> head back and concentrated on his breathing as Erdge quietly eased his
> arms into the sleeves of his jacket and rolled the crimson cuffs down
> over his long leather gauntlets.
Which explains the clothing.
Indeed it does. And here you probably thought he was just a neat freak or
something. ^_^
> "Will they heal?" she asked in a soft tone, still avoiding his
> gaze as she slowly tugged on his steel-toed boots.
>
> "My hands? In a few months, maybe. Mother's radiance is a
> dangerous thing, Erdge." Grunting, Pedri levered himself back onto his
> feet and stood, wavering back and forth slightly. "Come along. Brother
> Tytolung is hatching."
So much for a healing factor. Then again, a healing factor could
probably be negated
with the right kind of radiation. Or as in Wolverine's case, enough
damage.
I'd say this is a mix of both. Kind of like shooting Superman with a
Kryptonite bullet. The initial damage was bad enough, but the radiation left
behind is retarding whatever healing factor he may have.
> "Yes," Pedri said absent-mindedly, "I suppose I should freshen
> up a little. Wouldn't do to have our guests see me looking less than
> my best, now, would it?"
Interesting. VERY interesting. Now they are on a first name basis?
Heh, quite a
change from the Leader and General thing they had going awhile back.
You'll see how much of a change in later chapters. ^_^
> **********
>
> "I'm sorry," Hotaru wheezed as she collapsed on top of Naotoki
> Yamanouchi's armoured form, panting for breath. "I really wanted to
> help, but I just can't give any more... There are just so many wounds,
> so much to repair... I don't have the energy to do any more."
Like I said, the girl needed to prioritize it. Otherwise she'd be
wasting her time
healing his hand while his neck remained broken or something of that
nature.
All too true. But as -I believe- Xelloss put it, small wounds can be just as
fatal if there are enough of them.
> "Samurai Troopers in general are pretty tough, honey." Nasuti
> forced herself to smile, and helped Hotaru to her feet. "And Naaza is
> probably the toughest one of them all. Why don't we go find some other
I think that fight he had proved that, and then some. ^_^ Though I
wonder if she
might not have a more personal reason to say that. Course I'm fairly
certain she
wasn't imagining him when she imagined "Knight in Shining Armor" Heh.
Shampoo: Is more like NUT in shining armour...
> "Okay," Hotaru relented, as the pair walked out of their
> makeshift clinic and headed down the hall. "But you have to change his
> bandages every few hours, and he'll need a fresh cloth for his head..."
Least the girl has some basic first aid skills aside from her powers.
She's going to
be a doctor when she gets older, isn't she?
I'm not sure. I know that Mamoru wants to be a doctor, and Ami wants to be a
doctor, and Minako wants to be a nurse...
Cripes! Forget Crystal Tokyo; they could start their own hospital!
> "Right," the auburn-haired woman said with a sigh as she tried
> another door. "Look out for possible signs of hypovolemic shock.
> Thready pulse, shallow breathing, pale skin, and excessive sweating.
Hehehehehehehehehehe, caring for troopers certainly makes one brush up on
their EMT
skills I expect.
Not to mention other skills. For example, Nasuti is surprisingly good at
track-and-field. ^_^
> Gotcha." The door opened, albeit with the deafening squeal of hinges
> that were badly in need of oil, and Nasuti waved her young associate
> into the room beyond. "Don't worry, Hotaru. I've got it covered!"
>
> The slight, raven-haired girl rubbed her hands against each
> other nervously. "You don't think there's... rats... in there, do
> you, Nasuti?"
For probably the most powerful being on that planet, who has faced the
denizens of
Hell itself and lived to tell about it, she certainly has some girly
phobias. ^^
True, but
> "Hotaru," Nasuti replied dryly, "trust me. There's only one
> rat in this whole tower that we need to worry about, and he's
> upstairs. No other vermin could possibly be vile enough to last more
> than a few minutes in this place."
OK, that was a put down to be expected. Heh.
Well, sometimes you just can't resist. It's not like Rajura has been doing
much to ingratiate himself to Nasuti lately.
> "I don't think Rajura's really as bad as people think he is,"
> Hotaru ventured as she stepped across the threshold and stared into
> the dark chamber. "I think he's kind of nice..."
<Hotaru> I love you unca Rajura! <Rajura> AH! GET IT OFF!! ^_-
> "Nice?" Nasuti laughed. "Hotaru, he's the Masho of Deception!
Him and Soundwave used to be roommates, didn't they?
No, although I hear he and Tarantulas used to go out drinking together on
Sundays. ^_^
Which reminds me; am I the only one who noticed that Transmetal Tarantulas
and Rajura looked a LOT alike? I think perhaps someone over at Mainframe
used to watch Ronin Warriors...
> If you ask me, he's more of a snake than Naaza could ever dream of
> being. It's not a matter of if he'll choose to turn on you, it's a
> matter of WHEN he'll DECIDE to! You can only trust him if you've got
> your eyes on him, and even then, you'd better not blink. How could
> you possibly think that he's nice?"
Which makes one wonder why Kayura keeps him alive if he's so dangerous?
She's got her reasons, and she'll be going into them the next time we see
her. ^_~
Then again,
for some reason, he seems to want to be loyal to her. I hope you'll
eventually go
into that bit of what passes for his personality.
Well, I could tell you right now, but that would ruin the surprise. And I
just couldn't do that to you. ^_^
> "But if he's so sneaky and tricky," Hotaru asked curiously,
> "then why DON'T people like him? Couldn't he use his powers to make
> them think he was a better person? If I had the power to trick
> people, I think I'd use it to make them like me better, wouldn't you?
> And nobody seems to like Rajura much at all."
This scene right here shows just how far she has to go when dealing with
people, and
understanding evil.
A-yup. Hotaru may have once been evil, but she doesn't really understand it.
Her evil was forced upon her by an outside power - she's never been in a
situation where, for some reason, she had to make the CHOICE to be evil.
Evil is not always the bad thing that people think it is
(something I think the creator of Sailor Moon herself could use a few
lessons in).
All too true. As one of my friends likes to say; "Which do YOU think is
worse, cheating, or losing?" Sometimes things can be a lot greyer than most
of the Senshi seem willing to admit.
> "Maybe," Hotaru admitted as she swung the door shut, "but if
> he's the Masho of Deception, wouldn't he just be telling you whatever
> you wanted to hear? Why would you believe him?"
The girl might have a point. She might have more of a point than even
she realizes.
^_^
She just might, at that... ^_~
> "Anyway, it was just a thought." Hotaru sighed softly as she
> peered at Nasuti through the barred window of the door. "You better
> get back to Naaza, Nasuti. I'll just lie down for a while."
>
<snippage of some serious mental reflection by Nasuti>
Damn. One of my favorite parts of fics is seeing the characters through
one of the
other's eyes.
That's good, because it's one of my favourite parts to write. I think that
one of the best ways to view a character is by seeing how they view others.
Sometimes it can help add new perspectives to the people doing the viewing,
as well as those being viewed.
This was quite a nice bit of reflection, but also it shows that she
knows just how deep she's in it. She's holding up quite well with that
knowledge,
I can't imagine Nasuti Yagyu ever being dishonest with herself. She is just
too smart not to know what kind of trouble she's gotten into. She's also -I
think- too sensible to panic over it.
but I suspect it gets rather boring screaming for your life after about
the 10th time
you get captured. ^_^
Which is why Nasuti started learning how to duck. ^_~
> Naaza was nowhere to be seen.
So much for looking after him. Good thing he's got a healing factor.
Though I do
wonder why he's leaving when it's a dream by all men to be cared for by
their love
interest. ^_^
Ah, but she wasn't there when Naaza woke up, was she? He came to in an empty
room in a place we already know he wants as little to do with as possible.
The Keep is not somewhere Naaza wants to hang around. His instinct would be
to escape.
> She much preferred her
> kimono - the silk was so smooth and comfortable against her skin, not
> like the iron shell currently clamped around her.
Well, I suppose at this point, since she has pretty much been fighting
for awhile,
it's ok to start complaining about such things. ^_^ Otherwise it'd sound
like she
was whining. Heh.
Heh. I like to think of it more like Kayura is trying very hard not to think
about what's REALLY bothering her, so she's harping on other things,
instead. Plus, I'm guessing two layers of armour plating plus a leather
overcoat would get pretty hot and uncomfortable after the first day or so.
> Only Anubis, steadfast, dependable Anubis, had stayed
> by her side in her time of need. Her loyal Anu-kun. He was her knight,
> her strength, her conscience, her guide... Whatever she needed, he
> always provided for her. So long as Kujuurou Sasaki drew breath, she
> knew she would never have to face the world alone.
And a smart lady it is, that has decided to marry such a man.
Yes... Unlike certain other anime females, Kayura has decided to marry the
DEPENDABLE guy who's always there for her and never does anything to hurt
her.
Wow, what's up with that crazy chick, huh? ^_~
> She gently moved a forelock of his hair out of his eyes.
> That one lock always seemed to dangle there, no matter how hard dear
> Anu-kun tried to handle it. With a smile, she recalled the scowl he
> had given her when she finally told him how cute she thought he looked
> with it.
He actually scowled at his empress? ^_^ Heh, has he come so far?
She called him CUTE! Anybody else who did that to Kujuurou Sasaki would have
been dead before they hit the floor; the worst he could give her was a brief
scowl. Which she probably also found "cute". Much to his dismay. ^_^
> With one gloved hand, Setsuna gestured towards the only nearby
> structure, a spire of obsidian that thrust out of the massive plain of
> black mire like a giant's lawn dart. "The Keep may still have some
> medicinal supplies, but I'm not sure we should be moving him."
Yeah, but if you don't move him, he dies anyway. Catch 22 and all that.
Gotta love
those situations.
Oh, yeah; damned if you do, damned if you don't. Characters in my fics seem
to stumble into those situations surprisingly often, don't they? ^_~
> Setsuna frowned, her eerie red eyes staring deep into Kayura's
> own. "What makes you so sure?"
>
> "He is Anubis. He wouldn't dare die without my permission."
Now would be the perfect time to tease her about being a young girl in
love...though
I don't think either present have enough of a sense of humor for that.
Yeah, I couldn't work much humour into this scene. Given what was going on
and who was involved, it just didn't seem right.
> Grasping the ringed shakujo staff of her ancestors, Kayura waved it
> over the Wolf Masho's prone form and muttered something under her
> breath. Slowly, almost reluctantly at first, the golden rings began
> to stir, chiming against each other as the small wings at the end
> of the shakujo suddenly flexed and extended like living things. A
> soft light drifted from the staff, enveloping Kujuurou Sasaki and
> lifting him gently off of the ground to bob near Kayura's shoulder.
Geez, she should market those things. They're more useful than a
Leatherman's tool.
Wreck-Gar: Offer expires while you wait! Operators are standing by...
> The high-heeled boots of her Senshi uniform were most
> definitely not designed for the slippery, ankle-deep muck that she
> was in at the moment. After a bit of a struggle -and against all odds-
Need foul weather gear. I hear they sell it at Magical Girl Surplus. ^_^
Seriously
though, how hard would it be for them to get armor like the Magic Knights
wear?
Well, they never do, so I guess harder than you'd think. That was one thing
the Troopers have going for them - their undergear alone gave them more
protection than any of the Senshi.
That's cute, sexy, AND quite omniconditional. Quite form hugging too, so
one could
see all their nice attributes...though they were only like 14 years old.
^^
Oh, I agree. I'm not one to argue with the asthetics of the Senshi fuku, but
it's pretty obvious that Usagi and her friends got to the wardrobe trailer
after everybody else had already gone through it. ^_^
> the Senshi of Time somehow managed to reach the front doors of The
> Keep with both her balance and her dignity intact. Catching the thick
> oaken door just as it began to close behind Kayura, she slipped through
> and let it slam behind her with a resounding thud.
Get the feeling Kayura's a bit peeved at the universe right now? ^_^
One of the few problems with Kayura - even before she became empress, she
was pretty used to getting things her way. The girl does not deal well with
things going against her wishes. Never has, never will.
> "MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY!" A small, raven-haired girl bolted
> down the staircase and brushed past Kayura and Anubis as she hurtled
> towards Setsuna, arms held wide. "Oh, Mommy! I missed you so much!"
>
> "Sure you did," Setsuna hissed, catching the frail girl by
> her wrist and slamming her roughly against the wall. Hotaru gasped
> and looked up at the older woman with tears glistening in her violet
> eyes.
Well, that was unexpected.
Hey, I warned you Rajura was going to start doing things that were just
plain weird. ^_~
> "What's the matter, Mommy?" she whimpered, cowering slightly
> as Setsuna loomed over her. "Did I make you mad? I just wanted you to
> know how much I love you..."
>
> "Right," the emerald-haired woman replied, as she reached into
> the girl's glove to draw out a rather long and wicked-looking dagger.
Heheeheh, nice. ^_^ Haven't seen that trick in a story of any type for
quite some
time.
And it's such a classic, I figured Rajura wouldn't be able to resist
pulling it on Setsuna. After all, if she fell for it, she would have
deserved what she got, right? ^_^
> "Golly," the girl said quietly, looking at the weapon as though
> she had never seen it before in her life, "how did THAT get in there,
> Mommy?"
I hope you realize imagining Hotaru's voice saying something like that
had me
laughing so hard I couldn't get off the floor for a few minutes. ^_^
You're welcome. I got a few good chuckles out of the idea, myself.
> "Give it up," Setsuna suggested, wrapping the fingers of her
> free hand around the small girl's throat, "you're not fooling me."
>
> 'Hotaru' smiled sweetly up at the older woman. "Well," she said
> in a deep, masculine voice, "it's good to see your skills haven't
> completely atrophied in your time away from me, Setsuna dear."
And that's just creepy man. ^_^
Yeah, but it does help me make a point - Rajura is a shapeshifter.
Considering what an important power it was when he first appeared, I never
understood why he didn't use it more often. He can turn himself into
absolutely anybody.
> "Where is my daughter, Rajura?"
>
> The girl smiled. "What makes you sure she's still alive?"
>
> "You don't impersonate dead people; you think it's bad luck."
> Setsuna narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on the captive Masho's
> neck. "My daughter. WHERE?"
I hope that's his neck and not...uhemm...somthing else. ^_-
I'm actually not sure. It depends on whether you think Rajura actually
physically CHANGES into the person he's impersonating, or just uses his
powers to make others THINK he looks like the person.
If it's the latter (and I suspect it is), then he'd be about half a foot too
tall for his neck to be where Hotaru's is. Setsuna would be
holding him somewhere in the chest.
Not that it matters, since Rajura is upstairs, anyway.
> "Really, Setsuna. Where do you THINK I would put the little
> moppet? She's where YOU belong, of course..."
>
> Setsuna stepped back, her fingers suddenly going numb as the
> small girl tumbled from her grasp and landed on the floor. Shaking her
> head, the Senshi of Time looked down at the man who was wearing the
> form of her daughter. "You son of a bitch," she whispered, "you didn't.
> You COULDN'T, not even you..." Without another word, the usually
Actually, he probably COULD, but the question is did he even think about
it? ^_^
Probably not, to be honest. If he had, he would have done it. ^_^
> "Gods," she muttered, "first Naaza and now Anubis, too. Am I
> the only Masho who doesn't go out picking fights the second your back
> is turned?"
I don't think he has much room to talk. He just picks different types of
fights.
Heh.
True, but so far he's been coming out of them is slightly better shape than
his fellow Masho. ^_~
> "Beats me," Kayura answered with a shrug, "I make it a habit
> to never turn my back on you."
Which again makes me wonder why she doens't kill him if he's really that
fucked up.
Kayura isn't the kind of person who would just kill somebody because she
thinks they might cause trouble later. Like you said, he seems to be loyal
to her at the moment, and she respects his skills too much to just kill him
on a whim. Basically, she needs him, so she keeps him around.
> "Could you please turn back into one of my Masho? I find it a
> bit unnerving to hear your words come out of that mouth."
>
> "Certainly." As ordered, the fragile young girl's body shifted
> and flowed like soft wax, becoming taller and more masculine as her
> mane of raven hair grew shorter and turned green.
>
> "Better?" he asked, in Naaza's voice.
WOAH!!! ^_^ Talk about not expecting that one. Which makes the
encounter below all
the more interesting. I mean, did Naaza WANT Rajura to buy it? Or is
that Naaza?
^_^
Oh, it's not Naaza - he can't shapeshift. It was just Rajura being a jerk.
Kayura told him to turn into ONE OF her Masho, so he did. He just didn't
turn into the one she was expecting him to.
This isn't exactly a big mystery worth waiting two chapters to find out, so
I'll explain. Rajura was upstairs and saw Setsuna and Kayura
through a window. When they walked into the Keep, he sent an illusion of
himself down to meet them. The "Rajura" in this scene was just him
tricking their senses of sight, sound, and touch to think that he was in the
room with them - like he said later, Setsuna was just imagining him there.
> **********
>
> The trapdoor was carved from a solid block of mahogany, more
> than a foot thick and reinforced with iron straps. The lock was old
> but serviceable, and Setsuna knew from experience that the only key to
> fit it was hanging quite securely around a certain Spider Masho's
Like there's any other Spider Masho. ^_^
Well, there WOULD be, if anything happened to Rajura and someone else
picked up his yoroi, but I get your point. ^_^
> neck. A quick push with her hand was all it took to ascertain that the
> panel was, indeed, still locked in place. Gauging the distance,
Is it Gauging or Guaging? I don't recall.
My spell-checker accepted "gauging". That's all I know. ^_~
> Rajura had always frowned on violent, inelegant solutions to
> problems. That did not, however, mean he was unwilling to resort to
> any, and it had certainly never stopped him from teaching them to her.
> Sometimes lock picks took too long.
Vegita could give lessons on door opening 101 using ki blasts. ^_^
True, but Rajura couldn't. I don't believe he has any kind of ki blast
attack.
> A third kick, and the door cracked loudly, the thinner wood of
> the frame splintering as the iron deadbolt smashed through it. Her
> fourth kick caused the door to fly open, and she quickly pulled herself
> up through it.
Nice. As a Senshi aren't they a bit stronger than normal people?
Helluva door that
can take that.
Like I said, it was more than a foot of solid mahogany. That is a very
strong wood - a normal person probably couldn't break it down at all without
a crowbar. There were also iron bands to reinforce it. If she hadn't been a
Senshi, it's safe to say that door wouldn't have been going anywhere very
quickly.
Arago built those doors to LAST. ^_^
> Barbells gathered cobwebs in the corner, a thick
> layer of dust covered the vaulting horse, and sand drifted lazily
> from the split seam of a medicine ball. A set of uneven bars had been
> left out on the stone floor, and even though she was too far away to
> see it, Setsuna knew there was a circular race track running around
> the outer perimeter of the room, complete with hurdles. Training
> dummies were propped up at regular intervals, straw still hanging
> desolately from the cuts in their necks.
Gotta keep the troops fit after all. ^_^
Hehe. Not all of them, my friend. Not all of them... ^_^
> Setsuna walked further into the room, and smirked as she
> noticed the closest platform. It was at waist-height, and held a large
> table with a linen cloth and a silver candelabra. Crystal glasses sat
> next to the only two plates, and the array of silverware was enough
Kindly note: only two plates.
> Turning, Setsuna glared at the billiard table sitting on a
> platform at eye-level. It was probably still racked for a game, she
> thought, hopping onto the wooden rostrum.
Oi. And this place arrouses fear? Shit, they had a POOL TABLE! ^_^
Sure, but do you want to imagine what happened if she missed a shot?
> There was no sign of Hotaru, but that didn't mean anything.
> She could anywhere in this tangled maze of scaffolds and stages. With
> a determined look, Setsuna hopped onto the pool table, leaping over to
> the nearest platform and catching the edge with her fingers. Rajura
> had deliberately made them such odd heights and distances from each
> other; even getting to the lesson was a lesson in itself. Pulling
She could have been Lara Croft I take it. ^_^
Well, she IS one of the more... talented... Senshi. ^_~
> A soft, rhythmic creaking sound reached her ears, and Setsuna
> glanced up. The rafters were still a few "floors" above her, but it
> sounded like the noise was coming from there. With a groan, she
> continued to hop from platform to platform like a frog travelling
> across lily pads, fighting a sense of deja vu as she slowly weaved
Definately a Tomb Raider.
Yeah, it's safe to say Setsuna's done a bit of that in the past.
> Rajura hung by his feet from one of the trapezes that dangled
> from the ceiling, arms crossed over his chest as he swung idly back
> and forth. "Nearly fifteen minutes," he commented, clucking his
> tongue. "You used to be able to do it in five. Then again, I guess old
> age inevitably catches up with you..."
Or when you're not used to it. Sounds like she's a bit out of shape for
something
like this.
It's inevitable that she would be. The only way she could have stayed in the
shape she used to be in would be to train as hard as she used to train. And
trust me; nobody trains that hard without somebody making them do it.
Setsuna is still in fantastic shape, she's just not as good as she used to
be. And that's what Rajura's bugging her about.
Must have been all that being molested by her husband...oh wait, that is
exercise...kinda. ^_-
It's good, AND good for her! ^_~
> Setsuna stared at the silver-haired Masho of Deception, her
> jaw actually hanging open in surprise. "Rajura? But you were- I left
> you downstairs with Kayura and Anubis!"
Way out of practice to be surprised by this. Heh.
It's been a few years for her. She's a little rusty. ^_^
> "Then again," he mused, kicking his legs and pivoting into a graceful
> handstand, "maybe you are imagining me now. Or maybe I never existed
> to begin with, and you were always just pretending I was there."
After all, reality is subjective to the one viewing it. ^_-
Particularly when Jirougorou Kuroda gets involved. ^_~
> Rajura tucked his legs up and curled into a ball, somersaulting through
> the air and landing somewhere below Setsuna. "After all," his voice
> called up to her, "can anybody really prove that they exist?"
<Setsuana> I think therefore I am. And I think you are a dick.
Hehehehehe. That's about where she is by now, yeah... ^_^
> "Why," she asked, leaping over to a lower rostrum and sliding
> down one of the stilts supporting it, "do you spend so much time
> upside-down, Rajura? It can't be healthy."
What is this? An ep of American Gladiator? ^_^
Well, they've definitely got the props for it... ^_^
> "Often, I have found it to be the only
> perspective that lets the world make sense. You might want to try it
> some time."
Actually, having blood rush to the brain can be healthy for a time.
Yep. Although I agree with Setsuna that Rajura does it a little too much for
his own good.
> gleaming in his icy blue eye. "You don't suppose you
> could spare her for a year or two? After all, I seem to be in the
> market for a new apprentice..."
So is Darth Sidious...but then I think the way you've scripted Rajura
here, he can
outdo even the Sith Lord at the Darkside.
Rajura: It's nothing personal, Sidious. You're just not quite evil enough.
You're quasi-evil. You're semi-evil. You're like the Diet Coke of evil...
> "Perfectly," Rajura said as he got to his feet and began to
> walk along the beam, his back to the Senshi. "Such a shame, to see
> that wonderful darkness in her heart go to such waste. It's not as
She is the quiet one. And it's always the quiet ones you got to worry
about. ^_^
Especially the quiet ones who can destroy an entire planet. Those ones you
REALLY have to worry about... ^_^
Why would he need a new apprentice though?
Rajura: I want one. She'll go nice with that new fern I picked up.
> "If anything," Setsuna argued, stepping onto the beam and
> striding towards Rajura. "It should be me who is ashamed of YOU. I
> still remember all of the lessons you taught me, Rajura, but that
You'd think she'd emphasise the word 'lessons' in her debate.
Oops! I should have done that, actually. Better go fix that. ^_^
> "Yes," Rajura noted calmly, "and that is exactly why you will
> always lose, my dear. You're just too soft. You care, I don't; I win."
Then what does he fight for if he cares for nothing?
Good question... ^_^
> "Fighting fair is what stupid people
> try to make you do so that they can have a chance. Anybody with a
> modicum of intelligence knows enough to cheat. Results count, Setsuna,
> not the path taken to get them. I could teach Miss Tomoe more in a
> week than you could in a thousand years. I am, by far, a better teacher
> than you. To be accurate; I am, by far, a better EVERYTHING than you."
Not too conceited is he? ^_^
Actually, he isn't. Rajura, more than anybody, would know how important it
can be not to overestimate OR underestimate anybody. He has a very clear and
unbiased picture of exactly where he and Setsuna stand compared to each
other.
He's just trying to make her mad.
> "Catch." Rajura tossed something over his shoulder, and Setsuna
> caught it instinctively. The object was long and slightly curved,
> swaddled in silk and with a familiar weight to it. Looking down, the
> emerald-haired woman carefully let the silk covering fall away to
> reveal gleaming lacquer and gold.
>
> "This..." Her voice caught. Clearing her throat, Setsuna tried
> again. "This is your katana."
Before we go toward the end, might I say this was very good verbal
fenceing.
Thank you. I appreciate the compliment, pal - this was a very hard scene to
write for exactly that reason.
Almost
as good as the verbal fencing between Optimus and Megatron at the end of
Beast
Machines. No matter what can be said about that series, it had the
singular most
awesome fight scene EVER in the history of the Transformers, only because
they talked
as good a fight as they fought it.
I agree, actually. I've always believed that a good physical battle should
be blended with a verbal one. For some reason it's more interesting for me
to write and to read when the characters are trading insults and arguments
as well as punches and kicks.
On the other hand, the movie still holds the best
outright one on one fight ever. ^_^
Ahhh... Without a doubt. I'd even argue that it features two: Hot Rod versus
Galvatron at the end of the feature is very impressive, even if it is
overshadowed by the Megatron versus Optimus Prime battle earlier in the
film.
> "Yes," the man said, slowly sinking down on one knee. "I hope
> you'll forgive the symbolism, but frankly I don't like the idea of
> having to wait until you dash my brains out with that bloody giant key
> of yours. This will be far quicker."
And less messy. ^_^ Not to mention honorable...for a Samurai.
True. It also has a bit more style and panache than being clubbed with a big
metal key, and Rajura strikes me as the type who firmly believes in style as
well as substance.
There's also a very good reason he wants her to use that exact sword.
I'll explain more in later chapters.
> "What?"
>
> "Was I unclear?" Rajura spread his arms wide and looked up at
> the woman. "You were just saying you wanted to kill me. This is your
> chance. Draw my sword and cut off my head. There is nobody to stop
> you, nobody to see what has transpired. I am unarmed, and defenceless.
> One stroke, and you can be free of me forever."
Reminds me of the scene in Highlander: Endgame where Conor had Jacob at
his mercy,
but wouldn't finish it as they were on Holy Ground...and that's how Jacob
wanted it.
Yes, there is that parallel here, isn't there? I hadn't even thought of that
until you mentioned it, but it definitely fits. ^_^
> "Strike me down in all your anger..."
>
> ...And her journey to the Dark Side would be complete. That
I wasn't going to make this parrallel before, because you already made it
here.
While humorous in the pun, you have effectively taken away the humor and
shown just
how real that situation is here. Pretty good. Problem is, I think he
went
overboard. Had he kept going after Hotaru, she'd probably have taken him
out...somewhere along the line she forgot that Hotaru was still somewhat
of a target
in this drama.
Yes, but somewhere along the line Rajura forgot it was about Hotaru, too.
Like you said, he went overboard. After all, Hotaru was the reason that
Setsuna was holding the sword, not the reason that Rajura gave it to her.
> The katana clattered to the stone floor, undrawn. Rajura
> tilted his head to one side and looked at the young woman curiously as
> she placed one hand over the cameo pin hanging around her neck.
And had she remembered, I get the feeling she would have finished it.
Heh, I suppose
that's why people like me never get these choices. Or buttons to push.
Or quests to
solve. ^^;;;
Maybe. Maybe not. I won't even say that she made the right choice. Things in
this story might have gone a lot easier if she had chopped his head off. She
may even regret not doing it when she had the chance.
> "No," she said, her voice ringing out in the still air of the
> room. "I am not like you, Jirougorou Kuroda. I am Sailor Pluto, the
> Guardian of Time. I do not kill in cold blood. I will not aid in the
I am a Jedi, like my father before me...^_-
Yeah, and we ALL remember how well that little speech served Luke... Didn't
he wind up writhing in pain and screaming for help about two seconds later?
^_^
> spread of the very Darkness I fight. I may hate you, Rajura, I may
> even wish you dead, but I will not murder you." Turning on her heel,
Like I said, she forgot about Hotaru. I don't know wheather that's a
good or bad
thing, but you portray it very well.
Thank you. And she really should have kept Hotaru in mind, you're right.
> "Then," he said softly, his shoulders slumping as he lowered
> his arms and looked down at the sword lying on the floor, "I fear you
> have lost the only use I still had for you..."
You once mentioned a scene like this might show up. I'm glad I waited
for it. ^_^
Very nice.
Thanks. It's nice to see that the scene went over so well - I was a little
worried when I first wrote it that I might not have gotten it across well
enough.
Not much in the area of correction, and I fear I might be a bit out of
the groove
when it comes to C&C of a fic of this calibur, so I ask your forgiveness
now that I
could do no more than the occasional whiticism.
Hey, witticisms are what make the world go around, pal! I just wish I could
have gotten back to you sooner, but I've been up to my neck in cardboard
boxes and masking tape. The whole family's getting shipped to a new
province.
I hope this helped if only a little.
It always does! Thanks for writing, man. I know how hard it can be to find
time to do this for people. ^_^
Hey, and Message me on ICQ occasionally, eh? Even if only to say hi. ^_^
Sure thing! It might take a while, though; like I said, I'm moving to the
sunny and tropical province of Manitoba, and that means my computer will be
off-line until we can get an Internet hook-up put in our new home. It might
take a few weeks, but I'll let you know when I'm set up. Oh, and since I'm
going to be on the road for who knows how long, I'll be setting my FFML to
'vacation' before we leave. If you've got anything you want me to look at,
send it to me personally and I'll give it a glance when I get back on-line.
Farewell!
-Morgan Hudson
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